Renewed Strength

​He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint"
Isaiah 40:29-31

---

In recent studies done to determine how eagles fly through unexpected turbulence something significant was discovered…

       “They found that in windy conditions, the eagle collapsed its wings in response        to particularly strong gusts rather than hold them out stiffly as an aircraft                would. During these moments, the eagle's wings were briefly tucked beneath            its body so that it was effectively "falling." (scienceworldreport.com)

Eagles are known for traveling long distances. This extended time of flight puts a strain on the majestic bird often causing him to become fatigued.  When unexpected turbulence is encountered in this wearied state he runs the risk of literally falling from the sky. So what does he do in response to this danger?  He collapses his wings, pulls them in, tucking them under his body. Instead of fighting the turbulence he does something that seems counter-intuitive - he rests!

                      This brings new insight to this well-loved passage!

The Hebrew word for “wait” in verse 31, is qavah. It means to bind together and wait!

The race we are running is no sprint but rather it is a full out marathon. We can be certain there will be times of turbulence that threaten to keep us from soaring further and even take us out altogether. But here we are given a beautiful picture of what to do when we grow weary and face gusts of adversity.  Instead of fighting against the wind we need to rest in the Lord. Often rest is the last thing we think we should be doing at a time like this. In the moment it feels detrimental but in reality it leads to renewed strength.
 
Feeling weary in the battle? It’s time to tuck in your wings and rest in the Lord! Before you know it you will once again be soaring to new heights with renewed strength!

Let's Pray-
Father, I confess that resting in the middle of a storm can feel counterproductive. But drawing close to you, resting in Your life-giving Presence is exactly what I need to not only make it through but to ascend to new heights. I look to you with a confident expectation of increased strength. In the life giving name of Jesus. Amen!